Earlier this week, the shocking news emerged that Marilyn’s final home at 12305 Fifth Helena Drive in Brentwood, Los Angeles – the only property she ever owned – was set for demolition (see here.) Thanks to the outcry from the local preservation community and Monroe fans across the globe, the process has now been halted while the City Council determines its historical status, as Steve Gorman reports for Reuters.
“The motion to initiate consideration of the Spanish Colonial-style house in L.A.’s Brentwood section for historic preservation was introduced by Councilwoman Traci Park and approved unanimously the same day, according to her spokesperson Jamie Paige.
In response to the 12-0 vote, the city’s Board of Building and Safety Commissioners immediately revoked a demolition permit that had been issued a day earlier. The City Council motion itself also bars major alterations to the property while review of its potential status as a landmark is under way.
Paige said she visited the house on Thursday and that no work had been done at the site, currently owned by a little-known entity called Glory of the Snow Trust.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the half-acre (0.20-hectare) property, which included a swimming pool and guest house, was purchased in 2017 for $7.25 million by Glory of the Snow LLC, then managed by a hedge fund executive. It was sold to the Glory of the Snow Trust for $8.35 million earlier this year.
No representatives for the trust have been identified by Councilwoman Park, and the reason for the planned demolition remained unclear, Paige said. The Times said the trust is not listed in property records alongside any person’s name.
Park, whose council district includes Brentwood, said her office had received hundreds of calls urging her to take action to spare the house.
‘For people all over the world, Marilyn Monroe was more than just a movie icon,’ Park said at a news conference, calling the performer ‘a shining example of what it means to overcome adversity.'”
However, as the Los Angeles Conservancy group writes in response, this is only a temporary measure and the house remains at risk.
“While identified in 2013 by the City’s SurveyLA program as being potentially historic, the house is currently unprotected … There still are many steps to go before the house is fully protected. Park’s motion, if approved by City Council, would issue stop-work order and begin the process of preparing the Historical-Cultural Monument application. The HCM application must be approved by the Cultural Heritage Commission and full City Council before permanent protections take effect.”
If you’re still wondering what you can do, I recommend you contact Traci Park here to say thanks, and share your thoughts on the historic significance of Marilyn’s last home. Please be polite and keep it factual!
UPDATE: In a September 13 article for the New York Times, Remy Tumin reports on the schedule for assessing the historic status of 12305 Fifth Helena Drive.
“An application will be filed with the city’s Office of Historic Resources, most likely in the first week of October, Councilwoman Park said. That office will schedule a site visit to assess the property, after which the Cultural Heritage Commission will hold a hearing on Nov. 16 to consider the nomination. They will then offer their recommendations to the full City Council for a vote. The council will have 90 days to take action.”
UPDATE #2: In a September 22 article for Robb Report, James McClain identified the new owner of Marilyn’s last home.
“This week, the L.A. tour bus service Esotouric uncovered a very big clue to the owner’s identity. Recent photos reveal the wall and hedge between Monroe’s home and the much larger house immediately next door have been removed, an indicator that the two properties are being linked together to create one large compound.
The house next door is owned by a notably wealthy heiress named Brinah Milstein, who is married to Roy Bank — a former reality television producer and Philadelphia native. Milstein acquired her current Brentwood home, a 2006-built mansion that spans some 6,000 square feet of living space, in 2016 for about $8.2 million.
It’s still unclear what Milstein and Bank plan to do with the Monroe property once the house is torn down, though it seems destined to became one piece of a larger estate. Clearly, the vacant lot would have more than enough space to accommodate a full-size tennis court, a guesthouse, gardens or garages for additional parking.
But for folks upset by Milstein’s plans, all hope is not yet lost. Last week, the L.A. city council unanimously voted to consider the house for historic preservation, prompting the building department to revoke Milstein’s demolition permit. And immediate neighbors of the Monroe house have told Robb Report that they’ve spoken directly to Milstein, who they claim has already changed her mind about tearing down the iconic home.”
The Marilyn Report 
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